Match pack holder



y 20, 1948- M H. DUVA L 2,445,317

MATCH PACK' HOP ER I v Filed June 15, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mm, Jlcz uv z,

July 20, 1948. M. H. DUVAL MATCKPACK HOLDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1944 y 20, 1948. M. H. DUVAL 2,445,317

MA' ICH PACK HOLDER I Filed June 15, 1944. v 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jul 20, 194s. M. H. m)

MATCH PACK HOLDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 15, 1944 ll l I Mpni'qque Jilliw l, mamww wm Patented July 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'MATCH- PACK HOLDER Montague H. DuvallGi-eat Neck, N. Y.

Application June 15, 1944, Serial'No. 540,390

This invention hasholders.

- It is designed primarily toreceive the conventionalpaper match pack, but it is to'be understood that it is adaptable to other or specially designed packs.

It has as its objects the provision of aholder" which will completely house and protect the matches of the pack-when not in use; from which the pack may be conveniently projected to permit removalxoi a m-atch; the provision of means 'forautomaticallycontrolling'the relation of the pack to the holder after it has been projected and upon release of the projecting means; a-oonstruction in which the ignition surfaceof the'pack is conveniently accessible forlighting a match only after the pack has been returned tohousedpos'ition within the holder, and which; is so fash ionedthat the pack may be conveniently inserted in the holder, the conventional cover nap removed, and the .pack stub and splints held against displacement when. a match is pulled off, but from which the stub of aused packmay be conveniently and quickly removed to permit reloading.

Other objects. willappear in the detailed description which follows;

In the drawings herewith, forming a part of this disclosure, embodiments oft'he invention are shown, .and these the bestnow known to me,.but.

it will be understood that these are illustrative and in no sense restrictive of the invention, as it may be developed ineqnivalent-iorms and still: be within the purviewof theinventionh Inthe drawings: V

Figure 1 is a view in. front elevation 01' the holder.

Figure 2. is an elevationshowlng the closed side of the holder.

Figure3 is an elevation showing the open side Figure 6 is a view, a portion only or: the holder being shown in horizontal position, with the clip and pack fully projected.

Figure? is a plan view of the pack holding clip.

Figure 8 is a section onsubstantially line 8-8- of-Figure '7.

Figure 9 is an endview'ofxtheclip. Fi ure 1c is a: viewot the opposite end of the 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-33) to do with match. pack Figure 11 is a sectional view on substantially the line |'l--l l of Figure 8.

Figure 12 is a sectional viewshowing a portion of the holder in horizontal position and the manher of inserting the match pack in the clip.

Figure 1 6 is an. edge view of the closed endot the holder shown in Fig. 15.

Figure 17 isa view in elevation of the open side of the holder shown in Figure 15.

Figure 18 is a view of the back of the holder showing the modified form of: manually engageable means.

- Figure .19 is .a view showing a portion of the housing in horizontal position with the clip fully projected andlatched in such position.

Figure '20 shows the clip partially projected fromthe housing for the removal of a match.

Figure 21 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2l-2l of-Figure 18.

Figur 22 is a view in elevation of a modified form of match pack clip.

Figure 23 .is a. view in elevationcf the clip ence numerals are applied to like parts. in the several views.

The holder comprises the housing H1, which may be formed of any suitable materiaLsuch as metal orplastic compositions. Light. gauge metal, die :cast, stamped, or otherwise Shaped is. one material which is well adapted to the purpose. The housing iilhas at least one open side H, and the front and back wall I2 and I3. ,Preferably, the side 14 will be closed so that there will be a completehousing of the match pack. within the holder ensuring protection for the, ignitahle match splints. One of the walls, here shown as the front wall 12, has an aperture L5- open at one end so as to offer no o struction to the striking of a match, disposed at a convenient-point therein, preferably at or near the lower end of the wall l2. The aperture l5 will 3 register with the ignition surface of the pack, which is usually at the bottom of the pack on the stub portion, when the pack is housed within the holder and provides a striking aperture through which a match may be struck on the ignition surface.

Movably mounted in the housing It is the pack holder or clip it, here shown as mounted on a pivot I? disposed at a convenient point of the clip it and about which pivot I! the clip It and its contained match pack may be swung. As

here shown, the pivot pin l1 passes through a.

projecting bottom portion of clip IS. The clip [6, as here shown, will be provided with a projection It on its face, here shown as the rear face, which projection I8 will clear the back wall 13 so that it may be manually engaged by the fingers of the user and the clip 16 and its contained pack projected outwardly through the open side H, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In order that the holder may be readily manipulated in one hand and the clip 15 and pack projected, it is preferable to provide the front wall i2 of the holder with a roughened surface is which will form an area for engagement of the thumb of the user. This thumb engageable surface lS on the front wall I2, together with, the grip of the fingers on the back H3, in position to engage the projection is on the clip [6, give a very convenient and natural relation of the hand of the user to the device for operating it. The area I9'for thumb engagement may be formed in any convenient manner and may take the form of ornamentations, as shown, so disposed relative to one another as to provide a proper engaging surface for the ball of the thumb and prevent slippage on the otherwise smooth surface of the front wall l2.

Projection of the clip I6 and the pack through the open side H of the housing l will be controlled by a relatively'light spring. As shown here, in Figs. 1, 5, 6, 12 and 13, this takes the form of a leaf spring secured in the bottom of the holder, and arranged to cooperate with clip 16 so that it tends toretainthe clip within the housing. It'will be seen, however, that reversal or variation of the spring action may be provided for, if such design were desirable incertain forms of the invention. As here shown, when the projection I8 is engaged by the finger and the holder and pack moved out of the housing to permit a match to be pulled off, the spring 20 will be under tension, and, on release of the clip [6, will at once automatically move it back into the housing It, bringing the ignition surface of the pack into registry with aperture to permit the striking of a match, the rest of the matches being then completely housed and guarded against accidental ignition.

It will be seen that when the clip l6 and pack are projected to the position shown in Fig. 5 to permit a match to be pulled off, the ignition area of the pack is substantially inaccessible, as it lies behind the wall portion 2| of the front wall I2 so that striking of a match on the ignition surface when the splints of the pack are exposed cannot be conveniently done because of the blocking of the ignition surface by the wall portion 2|.

' The clip 16 will be moved out of and returned to the'housing ID in the manner described and the matches pulled off until the entire pack is consumed and pack replacement becomes necessary. When replacement is to be made the clip I 6 will be pushed out of the housing II) to the position shown in Figs. 6, 12 and 13, in which position the spring will snap past the corner 22 of the clip l6 and hold the clip it in its outer position ready for refilling with a fresh pack. It will be seen that spring 29 has, as here shown, two functions. It resists projection of the clip I6 and pack as it is moved partially out of housing In for the pulling off of a match and automatically returns them on manual release of the holder. When the clip is fully projected for pack renewal, it maintains the clip 16 and stripped pack stub in convenient position for pack stub removal and reloading, its position being then such that endwise movement of the used stub to free same from the clip can be readily accomplis'hed.

, The clip It has the wall 23 and the apertured wall, the aperture in wall 24 registering with f the ignition surface of the pack when it is in position, and with the aperture 15 in the wall l2 of housing NJ when the clip is and pack are housed.

Itis most desirable that this aperture have at least one end completely open, so that in striking a match, same may be drawn straight over the striking surface without danger of the match head catching on any projection. In order to achieve this feature, and still give adequate strength to the top portion of apertured wall 24, a bridge Eels provided between walls 23 and 24. In addition to the purposealready mentioned, this bridge also acts as a stop for the match pack when a new pack is inserted, since the splints engage against same, as clearly shown'in Fig. 12. The end of clip l6 opposite bridge 26 is provided with a short wall 25 in its lower portion, such that a pocket is formed inside the clip, between the bottom of the clip proper and this wall 25. When the match pack stub is engaged in final position in the clip, it rests upon the bottom of same, and is prevented from endwise movement as matches are removed from the stub, by virtue of wall 25 in one direction and by bridge 26 in the other direction.

To prevent vertical movement of the pack in the holder the wall 23 is provided with an inwardly turned edge 21 which serves as a tearing edge for the covering flap of the pack. The position of this tearing edge in relationship to the upper edge of wall 25 is such that when a fresh pack if slid endwise into the clip, a predetermined portion of the back flap of the pack is spaced off, that is, a portion equal to the distance between the top'edge of wall 25 and the tearing edge 21. After the remainder of the back flap has been removed, in a manner to be subsequently described, it will be seen that the portion of the back remaining attached to the pack stub may be pushed downwardly, so that its upper edge engages under theturned-inedge 21, as shown in Fig. 13. Thus, the pack stub is prevented from upward movement by being positioned beneath edge 2?, and from endwise movement as previously described. When the match splints have been removed, however,- the used stub will clear bridge 26 and can be pushed horizontally out-of clip 16 and a fresh pack inserted.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 10, the in wardly bent edge 21 of the wall 23 is serrated or sharpened to form a scoring edge, and such scoring edge will indent or partially sever the covering flap of the pack so as to render its removal by tearing an easy matter.

The method of inserting a match pack into the clip is shown in Figs. 12 and 13, As the fresh pack. is slid in over "the we edge of wall: 25, :the

26. Bridge 26 may be provided with a sharpened inner edge 25', in which case partial severance of the edge of undesired portion of the back flap will be commenced when the pack is inserted to the point shown in Fig. 12. It will be noted that the new match pack is now resting on the upper edge of wall 25. The undesired portion'of the back flap, that is, the portion not contained within the limits bounded by top-of wall 25 andtearing edge 21, is now torn off, theedge 2 provid ing a convenient and firm line against whichithe tearing may be done. The match packstubis then pushed inwardly and downward, tethe -position. shown in Fig. 13. It willsbe noted'tliatzthe stub is now locked securely in the pocket'formed by wall 25. and the bottompi theclip, Upward and *endwise movement are restricted 8.5111818120- foredescribed. When all match splints have been removed, the operation may be repeated, the used stub pushed out under bridge 26, and the clip reloaded with a fresh pack. r

In Figs. to 21, inclusive, isshown a 'slightly difierent construction. although embodying the same mechanical principles. The housing 29 and holder 35 are substantially the same, except that the projection 3| on the holder is extended to provide a plurality of finger pieces 32, a slot 33 being provided in the rear wall 34 of the housin to permit movement of the fingers.

In this form of the invention the clip 35 will be pivoted at 36, and a spring 31 mounted on the pivot 36 with one end anchored beneath the pin 38 and the other end engaging the bottom of the clip, as shown in Figs. 18, 19, and 20. The return of the clip from its partially projected position, as shown in Fig. 20, will be eilected automatically by the spring 31 as in the construction heretofore described.

In order to hold the clip and pack in fully projected position, as shown in Fig. 19, there is provided a latch 40, formed of spring metal and secured to the clip 35 at 4| in any suitable manner, here shown as soldered in place, although it may be otherwise secured, or formed integral with the metal of the clip. The latch 40 has a projection 42, which, when the clip 35 takes the position shown in Fig. 19, engages the bottom of the holder and maintains the clip 35 in fully projected position and holds it there for reloading, When latch 40 is pressed inwardly to release projection 42, spring 31 will return clip 35 and its pack to the housing.

In Figs. 22 to 26, inclusive, is shown a clip differing from the clip just described. This clip has the pocket 43 for holding match splints and has on opposite sides of the splints the leaves 44 which extend above and are bent inwardly over the match heads. These leaves 44 may be made of flexible cardboard or metal, so as to form spring Walls which may be spread to give access to the splints and permit pulling them from the stub, after which they will spring into place.

The lower portion of this clip will be used exactly as in the forms previously described. Insertion of the match pack will be made by sliding the pack into the clip through the open side (shown in Fig. 24). The stub of used pack will be pushed out under bridge 46, and flap of fresh pack will be scored by inturned and sharpened lugs 53. When fully inserted, the lower portion of the holder is grasped firmly to hold stub in 6 place; and. the: undesired portion of? the 'fiap' is torn: off at: the. line created": by lugs: 53.: There; after;thezpackiis:pushedinwardly an'dxdownward;

so that: the. stub locks; inside walli 14:5, and. under bridgerile andl'ugsrn, insimilar' manner toformspreviously d'escribeda- I The construction or this; clip-is: such. that at sired; It providescapackcarrier. in which theJcone ventional match; pack may be readily mounted; its construction is such: that the. splints are: at

all; times completelyprotected, and the matches may. berea'dilyremoveda-as needed/from between the resilientlprotecting,leaves. l

In Figure 27 is shown-a slightly:iiiiferent *formor: clip. It may be. .formed of any suitable time teria-l,,-as',g tor exampla. paper or cardboard of proper strength and. resiliency. One convenient method of? forming-,therclip shownimFigureQ'? is to" fold; a, strip at material: 54 so as to provide at itsrrlowerr endra pack receiv-ingportiomin which the: matchipack=55 "will be. inserted. From this pack, receiving. portion 54- the integral spring leaves 55' extend upylrar-dly so as. to embrace the matchsplints. Attheir upper; ends then-leaves. 56 are preferably bent inwardlywatz 5:1 so -as torcover the heads of the match splints. Th leaves 56 will have sufiicient resiliency to normally enclose the match splints, but may be readily separated in order to permit match removal. To facilitate separation of the leaves 56 the corners 58 of the inwardly turned upper ends 5'! are preferably rounded so that they may be easily wedged apart and the leaves separated for access to the matches.

It is obvious that structural variations, exercising only mechanical skill, may be made from the illustrative examples of the invention herein disclosed, and all such changes are to be regarded as within the range of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An open top match pack clip having a bottom, pack embracing side walls, and open ends to permit a pack to be slid longitudinally into place between said side walls, said pack including a stub and splints removably connected thereto at points defining a tearing line; a short stubretaining wall projecting upwardly from the bottom at one of the open ends of said clip to engage a pack stub after a pack has been inserted and prevent reverse sliding movement and removal of a pack from the clip, and a. splint-engaging bridge at the opposite open end of said clip extending between said side walls to engage and limit forward sliding of a pack and prevent forward movement and removal of the pack from the clip until the splints have been removed, said opposite open end being otherwise unobstructed, said bridge being disposed entirely above the tearing lines of the splints of said pack.

2. An open top match pack clip having a bottom, pack embracing side walls, and open ends to permit a pack to be slid longitudinally into place between said side walls, said pack including a stub and splints removably connected thereto at points defining a tearing line; retaining means on one of said side walls to engage a match pack and prevent vertical movement of the pack; a short stub-retaining wall projecting upwardly from the bottom at one of the open ends of said clip to engage a pack stub after a pack has been inserted and prevent reverse sliding movement and removal of a pack from the clip, and a splintengaging bridge atthe opposite open end .of said clip extending between said, side walls toengage and limit forward sliding of a pack and prevent. forward movement and removal of the pack'from the clip until the splints have been removed, said opposite open end being otherwise unobstructed, said bridge being disposedentirely above the tearing line of the splints of said pack.

3. A match pack holder comprising a housing having an open side; a pack holding clip pivotally mounted in said housing and having a bottom, pack-embracing side walls, and open ends to permit a pack to be slid longitudinally into place between said side walls, said pack including a stub and splints removably connected thereto at points defining a tearing line; a short stub-retaining .wall projecting upwardly from the clip'bottomiat one of the open ends of said clip to engage a pack stub and prevent reverse sliding movement'and removal of a packfrom the'clip; a splint-engaging bridge at the opposite open end of the clip extending between said side walls to engage and prevent removal of the pack from the clip until the splints have been removed, said opposite open end of the clip being otherwise unobstructed, said bridge being disposed entirely above the tearing line of the splints of said pack; manually op- 8 erable means to project said clip through the open side of said housing, and a spring automatically to return said clip to said housing on release of said manual projecting means.

MONTAGUE H. DUVAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

